Method for discovering the presence of a communication node which seeks participation in a radio communication network. The method involves receiving with a first directional antenna a first signal from a late entrant node (LEN) concurrent with a radio network communication session (RNCS). Digital data processing gain is applied to the first signal to facilitate detection of a digital data sequence. A time difference of arrival (TDOA) analysis is performed if the digital data sequence transmitted from the late entrant node is also detected in a second signal contemporaneously received at a second directional antenna. The TDOA analysis is used to estimate at least one beam-steering vector.